Book Reviews

Diet books routinely top the best-seller lists, and new diet plans come out seemingly every day. To help you understand which diets are reasonable and which should be avoided, current and former Academy spokespeople have reviewed a number of diet books, asking such questions as:

What claims does the author make?

What does his or her diet plan entail?

Are there nutritional weaknesses in the plan? Strengths?

What's the registered dietitian nutritionist's bottom-line assessment of the book?

As registered dietitian nutritionists, Academy spokespeople have the knowledge and expertise to help decipher fact from fad in order to help you develop a healthy eating plan that is right for you.

The plan claims to "heal your gut, reset your metabolism and achieve dramatic, sustainable weight loss" by restoring balance to gut flora and changing the ecology of the gut. The microbiome diet will help improve energy, mood, mental focus and cognition, and decrease inflammation, autoimmune disorders and genetic predisposition to obesity. Read More

Presented as a prescription for health by cleansing the body of toxins and resetting pH balance, The Alkaline Cure claims that the Western diet promotes an acidic environment and that living "acid-free" will lead to increased energy, decreased inflammation and reduced risk of illness including cancer and diabetes. Read More

The diet plan focuses on a plate containing 50 percent non-starchy vegetables, 25 percent healthy animal or vegetable proteins and 25 percent healthy starches or whole grains, along with a low-glycemic fruit and water or herbal tea. Readers are provided with a list of "good foods" on which to base meals. Produce is divided into two separate categories, one of which can be eaten freely. Read More

Bernard, in his new book, advocates consuming antioxidants, such as vitamin E, from food only, which research does support. Antioxidants may play a role in memory and cognitive health by neutralizing free radicals and protecting the brain from oxidative stress. Read More

This book does a great job promoting a variety of whole foods, which is the core to an overall healthful eating plan. However, the first two phases are too low in calories to minimize excessive muscle loss. This can lead to long-term issues with weight regain and overall weight management. Read More

Raising questions about the validity of established nutrition and health knowledge, this book is a challenging and informative read for critical thinkers. However, it may leave readers confused about what they should or shouldn't actually eat to maintain good health. Read More

This book encourages fresh, whole foods including nuts, "above ground" vegetables, fish and heart-healthy fats which have been shown to be cardioprotective. Many recipes feature easily accessible foods, and the plan touts the power of movement and adequate sleep. Read More